Just finished the press conference, and they're already apologizing, complete with official seals.
Who? Zhi Ji. The high-end all-electric brand under China's largest automaker SAIC Group — Zhi Ji Motors.
They just unveiled their new sports sedan, the Zhi Ji L6, boasting a wave of new technologies and a similarly competitive price point, with the entire event — even before the conference began — targeting Xiaomi's SU7.
However, shortly after the conference ended, Xiaomi, with its newly revealed car, demanded a strong apology from SAIC Zhi Ji.
And indeed, from the official channels down to the CEO himself, Zhi Ji issued apologies.
What happened?
What Tech Did the Zhi Ji L6 Showcase?
Zhi Ji did introduce several practical and impressive new technologies:
The Zhi Ji L6 debuted with SAIC's self-developed Lingxi Digital Chassis, and the "Crab Mode" showcased during the preheating phase already caught some attention.
There is also the ability to directly solve parallel parking, one-button docking, and one-button departure:
When turning, the turning radius is smaller, such as in a two-way two-lane road, the Zhiqi L6 can make a U-turn without having to reverse back and forth.
The official specifications for the Zhiji L6 indicate that it's a mid-sized sedan, measuring nearly 5 meters in length with a wheelbase of around 3 meters. Its turning radius is 4.99 meters, comparable to that of the smaller Volkswagen Polo, while competitors with similar wheelbases typically have turning radii of 5.7 meters or more.
Additionally, the Zhiji L6 requires 11% less parking space length for parallel parking compared to similar vehicles.
In addition, there are some extreme scenarios, such as encountering oncoming vehicles in underground parking lots, where the Zhiji L6 can easily pass through, reducing the risk of collisions.
The underlying technology behind this is the digital chassis technology that has been the focus of development this year.
Unlike conventional chassis systems where steering, braking, etc., each have their own domain controllers, the digital chassis is controlled by a central domain controller that governs all functions. This enables more flexible and precise chassis control, such as allowing the front and rear wheels to rotate in opposite directions at low speeds.
Furthermore, the chassis of the Zhiji L6 not only provides excellent handling but also ensures driving stability, aided by air springs.
For instance, during sharp turns, like those encountered on winding roads, the Zhiji L6, akin to a gimbal, automatically adjusts the chassis height to suppress vehicle tilt, counteracting the centrifugal force experienced while turning.
When encountering rainy or icy conditions, the intelligent Lizard Digital Chassis can prevent vehicle skidding and reduce the risk of fishtailing or loss of control by controlling edge torque.
Even if the road conditions vary between the left and right tires, such as one side being icy and the other being asphalt, the intelligent L6 can still maintain stability, reportedly reducing the probability of vehicle deviation by 80%.
The "Cheetah Mode" offers even better performance, lowering the vehicle's front end to enable catapult-like acceleration.
It also boasts the ability for high-speed emergency evasion and obstacle avoidance, with the official claim of being 30% faster in response compared to traditional ESP systems. For instance, if something suddenly falls from the vehicle in front, the Smart L6 can complete an emergency lane change in just 0.3 seconds.
Eliminating side parking anxiety, ensuring a smoother driving experience, enabling catapult-like acceleration, and immediate obstacle avoidance - even beginners can achieve the silky-smooth maneuvers of seasoned drivers. The officials directly state that with the "Agile Gecko" digital chassis, it's like adding ten years of driving experience for the driver.
Most importantly, this digital chassis system comes as standard across the entire range, with no need for additional payment or limitation to high-end models.
In addition to the digital chassis, the other major highlight of the Smart L6 this time is the introduction of solid-state batteries onboard. The officials also claim this to be the industry's first nearly 900V ultra-fast charge solid-state battery.
The Zhiyi L6 platform, equipped with solid-state batteries, operates at a direct voltage of 900V. With a peak charging power of up to 400kW, these solid-state batteries can charge to 80% in just 12 minutes, providing an additional range of 400km. Moreover, for the same weight, they offer over 160% more energy density compared to traditional lithium iron phosphate batteries.
As a result, the Zhiyi L6 equipped with solid-state batteries and the four-wheel-drive CLTC variant can achieve a range exceeding 1000km.
And the officials emphasize that this solid-state battery is truly mass-producible, long-lasting, safe, and fast-charging.
The cutting-edge technology equipped in the Zhiji L6 also includes a self-developed "Typhoon Motor," with a maximum speed of 21,000 rpm, peak power of 379 kW, and peak torque of 500 N·m.
The peak power of the Zhi Ji L6 four-wheel drive version is 579 kW, with a peak torque of 800 N·m, and it's a member of the "zero to hundred in two seconds" club.
In terms of intelligence, both the cabin and driving assistance systems of the Zhi Ji L6 have been upgraded.
It features the latest and most powerful cabin chip, the 8295, and software-wise, it will come with the all-new generation of in-car system, IMOS 3.0, integrating the cabin and driving assistance.
Apart from the basic entertainment, navigation, and other functions, a standout feature of the Zhi Ji L6 is its ability to display blind spot images from the vehicle's side and rear on the full-frame digital screen inside the car.
Real-time tracking of hazardous traffic participants with highlighted red alerts to prevent accidents.
"Carlog" mode: Four cameras mounted on the front, rear, left, and right sides of the vehicle capture high-definition footage of the surroundings, assisting in recording driving moments and enabling easy editing for sharing.
Similar to CityWalk's "City Drive" feature, the car's infotainment system can display information about nearby dining options, exhibitions, and other lifestyle services while driving.
In addition, the self-driving feature of Zhiji L6, backed by Momenta, has rolled out new experiences to a new level.
During the official launch event, a sneak peek was given of the in-testing No-Map NOA (Navigate on Autopilot) feature. Even on rural roads with minimal lane markings, Zhiji's self-driving system demonstrated continuous evasion capabilities, including avoiding parked vehicles on the roadside and sudden appearances of pedestrians.
Through U-shaped construction roads:
And also narrow bridge crossings and other maneuvers.
And officials state that this system can achieve "driving without relying on high-precision maps," enabling driving wherever navigation is available. It is expected to be rolled out nationwide within the year, allowing drivers to go wherever they want.
The intelligent driving hardware, which includes a laser radar and NVIDIA chips, comes standard across the entire range of the SmartSense L6.
In other words, among the cutting-edge technologies already unveiled, the digital chassis, which enhances driving maneuverability, stability, and safety, comes as standard across the entire lineup. Additionally, the hardware capable of achieving advanced autonomous driving is also standard across the board.
Hence, when the price of the standard version of the SmartDrive L6 Max was announced to be no more than 230,000, cheers erupted on the scene.
Based on this, the price of the Smart Self L6 four-wheel-drive version with a zero-to-hundred acceleration of 2 seconds will not exceed 299,000 CNY.
The price of the Smart-E L6 Max Lightyear Edition, equipped with solid-state batteries, will not exceed 330,000 CNY.
The four-wheel steering system included in the digital chassis used to be a feature exclusive to million-dollar luxury cars, and it was even rarer to find it as standard across the lineup. However, with the solid-state batteries costing hundreds of thousands alone, the price of the Zhi-Ji L6 is not excessively high.
Although more details about the configurations are yet to be officially announced, the pre-sale price offered by Zhi-Ji L6 does seem reasonable.
However, what's unexpected is that, right after the end of the launch event, the most discussed topic wasn't the technology or configurations of the Zhi-Ji L6, but rather an apology from Zhi-Ji.
Following the example of Xiaomi's SU7, the company issued an apology as well.
Nowadays, comparing with competitors' products has become a common practice at new car launch events.
The Zhi-Ji L6 is no exception, as it directly compared with Xiaomi's SU7 several times throughout the event.
For example, when discussing advancements in intelligence, a question was posed: "What is true intelligence?" Is it a flashlight, a phone stand, or an external ambient light?
Zhi Ji's co-CEO Liu Tao even joked directly: "Perhaps everyone and every brand has a different understanding. Our team at Zhi Ji also greatly admires this 'dazzling array' of 'smart tricks'."
There's also the interior space of the Zhi Ji L6, with officials stating that it boasts an extra-large cabin area. The depth of the rear seat cushion reaches 502mm, saying "Reject small stools, sedans can also have big sofas".
The 1.81-meter height is specifically highlighted to ensure comfort whether sitting in the front or back seats. This addresses recent questioning regarding the size of the rear seating area, which is precisely what the Xiaomi SU7 aims to rectify.
Not only is there an implicit comparison, but also an explicit benchmarking.
When introducing the capabilities of autonomous driving, Liu Tao mentioned that although it's not feasible to delve deep into the algorithms behind it during the presentation, he still took about 6 minutes to introduce it. In contrast, during the Xiaomi SU7 launch event, Lei Jun covered autonomous driving in just one minute, prompting a playful remark from Liu Tao about Lei Jun's efficiency.
Especially in the segment where the prices were revealed, Liu Tao directly stated that due to Xiaomi SU7 surpassing the Model 3, the Zhi Ji L6 wouldn't be benchmarking against the Model 3, but would directly compare with the Xiaomi SU7.
During the discussion about the motor technology, Liu Tao mentioned that the SU7 Max version only features a front AC asynchronous motor and a rear permanent magnet synchronous motor, whereas the Zhi Ji L6 employs front and rear silicon carbide permanent magnet synchronous motors, offering superior performance.
Some viewers noticed that the Xiaomi SU7 Max also has a silicon carbide motor, so why wasn't it mentioned earlier?
This quickly sparked public outcry, prompting Liu Tao from Smart Self to issue an apology, confirming that there was indeed a mistake made in the research of product information, and the motor specifications of the SU7 Max were not accurately conveyed.
Subsequently, Xiaomi officially responded, emphasizing that both the front and rear motors of the Xiaomi SU7 Max are made of silicon carbide. They stated that they were unsure whether the error made by Zhiji was due to "a lack of professional competence or intentional spreading of rumors to defame," labeling it as "misleading the public." Xiaomi demanded Zhiji publicly clarify and apologize.
Xiaomi officials stated that they "do not accept" the informal apology posted by Liu Tao on Weibo, considering it as trivializing the matter.
Following this, Xiaomi officials reiterated that the company's patience has its limits, emphasizing that Smart Self Company has recently harassed and slandered them multiple times. They demanded a formal public apology, warning that Xiaomi would resort to legal measures otherwise.
The General Manager of Xiaomi's Public Relations Department also directly stated that this is the final time they urge Smartisan to apologize and the last time they respond to this matter.
Half an hour later, SmartAuto officially issued an apology letter and pinned it to the top. They acknowledged a team oversight in content review, mislabeling key parameters, expressing deep regret for the error, and extending apologies to fans and users.
The most striking thing is that the apology letter was stamped with the official seal of the Zhi Ji Public Relations Department.
However, amidst this back-and-forth, there's been little specific discussion about the technological and product advancements of Smart L6.
Is it only permissible for Xiaomi to set fires, while Smart L6 is not allowed to light a lamp?
The automotive industry's marketing tactics have indeed become increasingly sophisticated.
The success story of Xiaomi's SU7 is unparalleled. With no extra expenditure on marketing, traffic skyrocketed. Eventually, the Xiaomi SU7 not only became a sensation overnight but also sold out its entire annual production capacity, making it a textbook example of success.
Smart has undoubtedly followed the path of Xiaomi SU7.
Just as Xiaomi SU7 benchmarked against Tesla Model 3, Smart L6 benchmarked against Xiaomi SU7.
However, while Xiaomi SU7 soared to success, Smart L6 only left behind a tag of apology after its launch event, leaving some to believe the product had issues right from the start.
In fact, this isn't the first time Smart has operated in this manner. Back when Smart LS6 was released, it frequently referenced Xiaopeng G6, claiming itself to be the "strongest 6 series in history" - at that time, Xiaopeng G6 was benchmarking against Model Y pixel by pixel, and Smart followed suit by benchmarking against Xiaopeng.
The Xiaopeng G6 caught fire, while the Zhiji LS6 lagged far behind in sales.
However, unlike the situation with the LS6, public opinion wasn't overwhelmingly negative like it was for the G6, which was compared to Xiaomi's SU7.
The most radical voices encouraged Xiaomi to sue for their rights, while more moderate ones suggested that Zhiji should apologize. Some Zhiji users even believed that the company should focus on making good products instead of constantly trying to emulate others, especially if they can't do it well.
"如果学不来，就不要学了。"
这句话似乎直指智己汽车的核心问题。自从智己汽车问世以来，凭借着中国最大车厂的转型决心、资源和勇气，从首款产品开始，智己就在技术、产品和设计方面展现出了追求卓越的态度。
作为上汽集团旗下的品牌，智己汽车定位于高端市场，但并没有盲目模仿奥迪和保时捷，而是选择了追求原创设计和技术创新。无论是方向盘设计、可升降屏幕还是零重力座椅等诸多细节，智己汽车都曾引领过行业潮流。
Nowadays, solid-state battery technology, four-wheel steering, crab walking mode, one-key parking, and other technological advancements are leading the way.
However, when it comes to marketing, mishaps are not uncommon. Just after this apology for benchmarking Xiaomi's SU7, more netizens recalled CEO's live stream of making dumplings in the car and broadcasting speeding violations during highway test drives, reminiscent of jokes, resembling an elder trying too hard to use trendy slang.
Experience comes with its advantages, while youth brings its disadvantages. But in terms of marketing, showing off strengths while avoiding weaknesses is truly the essence.
However, with frequent missteps, they've lost themselves.
One More Thing
Apologizing for benchmarking Xiaomi's SU7 isn't the only controversy this time for SmartMine.
During this launch event, SmartMine CEO Liu Tao also delivered a heartfelt confession with background music.
Essentially, SmartMine employees sacrificed personal life milestones, such as missing their child's birth, four consecutive birthdays, and sending their kids to boarding school just to meet once a week, all for the sake of product development.
Originally intended to move the audience, the video spread, with the most liked comment being:
"To prevent them from enduring such hardships, I won't be buying SmartMine cars in the future."
